Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan confirmed what has been rumored for decades -- that he secretly helped Israel develop its nuclear weapons program .

Milchan , who has produced dozens of major movies and worked with the biggest stars , worked for Israel 's now-defunct spy unit Bureau of Scientific Relations , he told Israeli television 's Uvda `` Fact 14 '' show .

A 2011 book detailed Milchan 's secret work , but until now he has not talked openly about his life of espionage .

Milchan , whose films include `` Fight Club , '' `` Pretty Woman , '' and `` L.A. Confidential , '' set up and operated dozens of companies that helped Israel obtain parts and plans for its nuclear project in the 1980s , he said .

`` I did it for my country and I 'm proud of it , '' Milchan told interviewer Ilana Dayan in a report aired this week .

His spy work was a rumor in the 1980s when Milchan was producing movies , including `` The King of Comedy '' and `` Once Upon a Time in America '' with actor Robert De Niro .

De Niro sat with Milchan for an interview with Dayan for the show . He said he suspected something about the producer 's `` ventures '' decades ago , but `` I was n't sure . ''

He did n't question his producer about the rumors because `` it was n't my business , '' he said . `` He did n't ask me certain things and I do n't ask him . ''

Milchan : ` Wow ! The action ! That was exciting '

Milchan -- born in 1944 in what was then Palestine -- was a successful young businessman in the United States when his friend Shimon Peres -- who later became Israel 's prime minister -- recruited him to help after the 1973 Yom Kippur War , the Uvda report said .

Israeli spy officials used bank accounts set up by Milchan to make weapons-related purchases around the world , including helicopters and missiles , the report said .

`` Do you know what it was like to be a 20-something guy whose country decided to let him be James Bond ? Wow ! The action ! That was exciting , '' Milchan told Dayan .

Milchan told how he convinced a German engineer to let him photograph plans for a nuclear facility .

When the FBI discovered one of his companies was used to ship nuclear triggers to Israel without proper licenses , it resulted in the 1985 indictment of an executive who was involved . Charges against Milchan were dropped by the Reagan administration .

`` I did n't know Israel ordered the triggers , '' Milchan told Dayan . `` I did n't even know what triggers were . ''

He also acknowledged helping the government of South Africa with public relations when it was under intense international criticism and sanctions because of its apartheid system . His help was in exchange for uranium supplied to Israel from South Africa , he said .

Director Sidney Pollack , whose films included `` Tootsie '' and `` Out of Africa , '' was `` my partner in export in aerospace , planes , all kinds of things , with license , '' Milchan said . `` He had to decide what he was willing and what he was not . On many things he said ` No . ' Many things he said ` Yes . ' ''

Milchan is a multi-billionaire , but he insisted that he never profited from his spy work .

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Israeli spy agency used Milchan 's companies to make weapons-related purchases

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`` I did it for my country and I 'm proud of it , '' Arnon Milchan told an Israeli TV interviewer

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Milchan 's films include `` Fight Club , '' `` Pretty Woman , '' and `` L.A. Confidential ''

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A 2011 book detailed his secret work , but until now he has not talked openly about his spying